Modern communication networks and electronic devices have changed the way individuals in society interact and communicate. As these networks and devices have evolved so has the connectivity between user devices, networks of sensors, vehicles, buildings, appliances, machines, consumer goods and other items. This type of connectivity between objects is referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT) and has resulted in a number of benefits and new features. For example, IoT devices may be used to monitor and collect various kinds of data which can be used to make decisions, control actuators, and the like. However, these new features come at a potential cost. Namely, the ease of collection of personal information.
In many cases, individuals may agree to the collection of information in exchange for the features and options that improve the user's experience with the IoT device or object. In other cases, there is no expectation of privacy and these devices may be collecting information for a variety of uses without knowledge of the individuals. Many individuals, however, have a strong desire to understand what information is being collected, be notified of such collection, and have the ability to respond to and/or remove the collected data. Unfortunately, there are few options for understanding and identifying the different types of data collection that may be occurring throughout the day of an individual.
The drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Similarly, some components and/or operations may be separated into different blocks or combined into a single block for the purposes of discussion of some of the embodiments of the present technology. Moreover, while the technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the technology to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the technology is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the technology as defined by the appended claims.